By Patrick Anderson
Two new candidates have jumped into the race for Gloucester City Council this week — one a former challenger to state Sen. Bruce Tarr — and the other an opponent of former Vermont governor and Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean.
Paul McGeary, a recently retired newspaperman who lost an election to Tarr in 2004, becomes the first candidate to enter the race for Ward 1 Councilor since current seatholder, Jason Grow, announced he will run for councilor-at-large.
An Eastern Avenue resident who left an IT management position with the Boston Globe this month, McGeary, 59, said he is running to build on Grow's work and advocate for more funding of the Gloucester Public Schools.
"We need to protect our investment in the future and the school system has taken a big hit," McGeary said. "The City Council has the power of the purse. That is the most important way to protect and prioritize what we need as a city."
In 2004, McGeary pulled down 30,045 votes, or 35 percent, of the total in the First Essex and Middlesex state senate race while long-time incumbent Tarr pulled in 55,724.
In Ward 2, Roger Hussey, a semi-retired former computer consultant and merchant seaman who moved to Gloucester in 2005 from Vermont, said yesterday he is entering the race to succeed John "Gus" Foote as the ward councilor.
Two other candidates, Ann Frontiero Mulcahey and Peter Todd have already pulled nomination papers for the Ward 2 contest. If all three are able to return the necessary signatures, a preliminary election in Ward 2 will be necessary to thin the field.
While he has never held a city office before, Hussey, 70, is not without experience in politics.
In Vermont, Hussey formed his own political party and ran against then-governor Dean, who was easily re-elected and went on to challenge for the Democratic presidential nomination that went to John Kerry.
Of his gubernatorial run, Hussey said his party believed "in strong local government."
In Gloucester, Hussey has been working on a part-time basis at the Rose Baker Senior Center.
On the race for the City Council, Hussey said a long conversation on the subject with Foote had inspired him and he wanted to maintain Foote's level of constituent involvement.
During his door-to-door effort for nomination signatures, Hussey said he will become a "virtual councilor" asking residents in the ward if they have any issues that need addressing and "if they have issues, I will take a whack at doing something about it before I get in."
While Hussey campaigned against Dean, McGeary entered the state Senate race after becoming involved in Dean's presidential campaign.
In addition to working in IT and for the Boston Globe, McGeary also worked in computers for Atex Inc. in Bedford, The Beverly Times, and first came to Cape Ann to work for the Gloucester Daily Times in 1975.
In addition to campaigning for more funding for city schools, McGeary said he work to change the state aid funding formula, dedicate himself to fielding calls in the ward and make local government more creative and efficient.
"I have run a multimillion dollar budget and I have learned to be creative," McGeary said. "We do need to make the most of the staff and resources."
Patrick Anderson can be reached at panderson@gloucestertimes.com
